Alabama boy dies tragically in murky backyard pool with four year old 'slipping away'

A heartbreaking warning has been issued following the tragic death of a four-year-old boy who " slipped away " from his family home, leading to a desperate search that sadly ended with him being found dead in a back garden pool.

The Cleburne County Sheriff's Office shared on Facebook on Saturday, June 15, that the young boy from Alabama vanished near the area of Cleburne County Road 49 and County Road 111 just before 6 pm local time. Chief Barry Nolen of the Ranburne Police Department confirmed the devastating news in a Facebook post around 10:30 pm on Saturday, stating that the boy was found deceased.

"I would also like to ask everyone to please keep the family in your prayers," Nolan wrote. Cleburne County Coroner Adam Downs identified the child as DJ Jarrell. "I can confirm the death of DJ Jarrell. A 4-year-old from Ranburne Al. He was found in a swimming pool in the yard of his family home," Downs said. Authorities have not yet released any further information, including how the boy managed to leave the house unnoticed.

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Downs previously told AL.com that DJ "slipped away" from his home and was discovered in the pool after an extensive search lasting nearly two hours. The coroner has urged families with young children and swimming pools to be vigilant, as reported by the media, reports the Mirror .

"Please make sure that they keep the gates locked and secured to where a child cannot get into that pool," Downs urged. He highlighted that officials initially overlooked the boy in the pool due to the water being "so cloudy."

"It's just one of those circumstances that the water was so cloudy in the pool that you could not see the bottom," Downs further explained. Drowning deaths are increasing in the United States, reversing decades of decline, as per a new CDC Vital Signs study.

Over 4,500 people died due to drowning each year from 2020 to 2022, 500 more per year compared to 2019.

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CDC experts examined drowning deaths, self-reported swimming skills, participation in swimming lessons, and exposure to recreational water for this latest Vital Signs report. The report investigates how increased access to basic swimming and water safety skills training can save lives.

"I've seen firsthand the effects of drowning: families forced to say goodbye to their loved ones too soon," said Debra Houry, MD MPH, CDC's chief medical officer. "CDC's drowning prevention experts collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States. Understanding the barriers people face to accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training can help us better understand how to address those barriers, decrease drowning rates, and save lives."

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